Ex-bulldog Champ Bailey part of ’22 Hall of Fame class

INDIANAPOLIS — Former University of Georgia All-america defensive back/ receiver Champ Bailey has been elected to the College Football Hall of Fame, the National Football Foundation announced Monday.

Bailey becomes the 14th former Georgia player and 17th member of the program overall elected to the College Football Hall of Fame. He will be inducted Dec. 6.

Bailey was a consensus All-american playing offense, defense and special teams. He played more than 1,000 plays during his junior season in 1998, including more than 100 plays in seven games. Bailey finished the season with 52 tackles, three interceptions, 744 receiving yards, five touchdowns, 261 kickoff returns and 49 punt return yards.

The All-southeastern Conference selection was named winner of the 1998 Bronko Nagurski Award as the nation’s top defensive player and was a consensus All-america selection.

Bailey was also a member of the UGA track and field team and set a school indoor long jump record at the 1998 SEC Championships.

Bailey was drafted by the Redskins in the first round in 1999 and was a 12-time Pro Bowler from 2000-2013 with the Redskins and Broncos. In 2019, he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year on the ballot.

Bailey grew up in Folkston and graduated from Charlton County High School.

The other former Georgia players and coaches inducted into the College Hall: Charley Trippi, 1959; Vernon “Catfish” Smith, 1979; Bill Hartman, 1984; Fran Tarkenton, 1987; coach Vince Dooley, 1994; coach Wally Butts, 1997; Bill Stanfill, 1998; Herschel Walker, 1999; Terry Hoage, 2000; Kevin Butler, 2001; John Rauch, 2003; coach Jim Donnan, 2009; Jake Scott, 2011; Scott Woerner, 2016; Matt Stinchcomb, 2018; and David Pollack, 2020.

Also named to the Hall on Monday were 20 other former players and coaches, including late Heisman Trophy-winning RB Rashaan Salaam of Colorado and a two-time Heisman runner-up, QB Andrew Luck of Stanford.